The price you pay for Avonex may depend on factors such as your dosage, whether you have health insurance, and the pharmacy you use. Financial assistance may be available to help you with the cost of Avonex.

Several factors can affect the price you’ll pay for Avonex, including:

  • your treatment plan
  • your insurance coverage
  • the pharmacy you use
  • available financial assistance for Avonex (see the “Financial and insurance assistance” section)

To find out the cost of Avonex for you, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

Avonex is a biologic drug, which means it’s made from parts of living organisms. It doesn’t come in a biosimilar form. Biosimilars are like generic drugs. Unlike generics, which are made for nonbiologic drugs, biosimilars are made for biologic drugs.

Why is there such a cost difference between biologic drugs and biosimilar drugs?

Biologic drugs can be expensive because of the research and testing needed to ensure their safety and effectiveness. The manufacturer of a biologic drug can sell it exclusively for up to 12 years. When the biologic drug’s patent expires, other drugmakers can create biosimilar versions. This competition in the market may lead to lower costs for biosimilars. And because biosimilars are very similar to biologic drugs, they don’t need to be studied again. This can also lead to lower costs for biosimilars.

If you take Avonex long term, you may be able to lower your costs in the following ways:

  • Look into getting a 90-day supply of your medication: You may be able to get a 90-day supply of Avonex if approved by your insurance company. This could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost of Avonex. If you’re interested in getting a 90-day supply of this drug, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
  • Use a mail-order pharmacy to get your medication: Using a mail-order pharmacy might help lower your cost for Avonex. Plus, you could get your medication without leaving home. Some Medicare plans may help cover the cost of mail-order drugs. You may also be able to get a 90-day supply of the drug through mail order. If you don’t have health insurance, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to suggest online pharmacy options that could work for you.

If you need financial support to pay for Avonex or help understanding your insurance coverage, assistance is available. For example:

  • Biogen, the manufacturer of Avonex, may have programs available for financial support. For more information and to find out whether you’re eligible for support, call 800-456-2255 or visit the manufacturer’s website.
  • Some websites provide details about drug assistance programs, ways to make the most of your insurance coverage, and links to savings cards and other services. Two such websites are:

Learn more about saving money on prescriptions with or without insurance.

You may want to consider the following information if you have insurance and receive Avonex.

If you have insurance, your insurance company may require prior authorization before it covers Avonex. This means the company and your doctor will discuss Avonex in regard to your treatment. The insurance company will then determine whether the medication is covered.

If a drug requires prior authorization but you start treatment without the prior approval, you could pay the full cost of the medication. You can ask your insurance company whether Avonex requires prior authorization.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.